Fighting Terror

Today's fourth episode of our series on blasphemy will focus on the worldwide protests against the Danish cartoons of the Muslim Prophet, also known as the case of Jyllands-Posten. Lucinda speaks with author of The Cartoons that Shook the World,  Dr. Jytte Klausen, who will be able to offer a distinct perspective and unique insight into her experience of freedom of expression. Together they explore her book in more detail and discuss the parallels between the current trend of Quran burnings in Denmark and the Jyllands-Posten affair from 2005.

Dr. Jytte Klausen is the Lawrence A. Wien Professor of International Cooperation at Brandeis University and an Affiliate at the Center for European Studies at Harvard University. She is the author of The Cartoons That Shook the World, The Islamic Challenge: Politics and Religion in Western Europe, and Western Jihadism: A Thirty-Year History . In 2006, Klausen founded the Western Jihadism Project, which studies Western violent extremists associated with Al Qaeda. Klausen has written for Foreign Affairs, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, and other national and international outlets, and she is a regular commentator on the BBC, Voice of America, and other U.S. and international media.

Today's third episode of our series on blasphemy will focus on the Quran burning incidents that have occurred in Scandinavia recently. Lucinda speaks with distinguished counterterrorism expert Dr. Magnus Ranstorp to try to understand the reactions as well as the political and social impact the incidents have had thus far. 

Magnus has been researching counterterrorism and CVE issues for almost thirty years. He was the first author to seriously map out the Lebanese Hizbollah movement and its connection to international terrorism and relationship with Iran and Syria. Currently, he is the Research Director at the Centre for Asymmetric Threat Studies at the Swedish Defense University and Special Adviser of the EU Radicalization Awareness Network (RAN). Magnus guided the process of establishing RAN in September 2011 and has been an instrumental operational part of it since then. 

Today's second episode of Fighting Terror's new series will shed light on the concept of blasphemy in Islamic theology and its significance within the religion. Lucinda speaks with Professor Jocelyne Cesari who will offer insights into the concept of blasphemy and its historical roots and how some Islamist extremist groups use blasphemy to further their agendas and mobilise followers, as well as the implications for societal cohesion. 

Professor Jocelyne Cesari holds the Chair of Religion and Politics at the University of Birmingham (UK) and is a Senior Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University. She has written extensively on Islam in Europe, focusing on issues of integration, radicalisation, and religious freedom. 

What is blasphemy and blasmphemy violence and what drives violence against perceived blasmphemers? Who are the main victims and perpetrators of blasmphemy violence? How did the Salman Rushdie affair shape perceptions and discussions around blasphemy in the Western world and are there risks associated with curtailing freedom of expression? The first episode of Fighting Terror’s new series on blasphemy will aim to provide our listeners with a deeper understanding of free speech and blasphemy affairs in Western Europe.

Lucinda speaks with Liam Duffy, Strategic Advisor to CEP and together they discuss Liam's recent CEP report on Violence against perceived blasphemers in the West: From Khamenei's Fatwa To The Present and the current state of play in the United Kingdom. Liam is a regular contributor for UnHerd on extremism, and has written on the subject for The Spectator, The Times Educational Supplement, The Jewish Chronicle, and CapX, among others. Liam is also a Fellow of the Salzburg Global Seminar.

To read Liam Duffy's recent CEP report on Violence against perceived blasphemers in the West: From Khamenei's Fatwa To The Present, please click here.

In today's final episode of CEP’s Eye on Antisemitism, Lucinda turns to the EU and looks at what they are currently doing to combat antisemitism. She speaks with Katharina von Schnurbein who is the European Commission Coordinator for the EU strategy on combatting antisemitism and fostering Jewish life.

Katharina was appointed the first European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism in December 2015. Her mandate includes liaising closely with the Jewish community on behalf of the European Commission, proposing and implementing European Commission policy to prevent and fight antisemitism. Prior, she worked for five years as advisor to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso on the dialogue with churches, religions and non-confessional organisations. Katharina started working for the Commission in 2002, serving as press officer for the EU Delegation in Prague. With enlargement in 2004, she moved to Brussels as spokesperson on employment, social affairs and equal opportunities for the Czech EU Commissioner Vladimir Špidla.

Today marks the two-year anniversary of the Taliban takeover and the fall of Kabul. In this episode, Lucinda and CEP Senior Director Hans-Jakob Schindler discuss the past, present and future of Afghanistan, the Taliban takeover, women's rights, and EU recommendations.

From 2001 until 2005, Hans headed the federal government of Germany's team investigating al-Qaida in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia. Between 2005 and 2011, Hans held the position of First Secretary Political Affairs and Liaison to the Security Forces at the German Embassy in Tehran. Acting as a special advisor to the ambassador, he led the embassy's crisis management team during the 2006 and 2009/10 disturbances in Iran. Hans then worked as an associated partner for West Sands and an associated consultant for Stirling Assynt, while he also advised several companies in Europe. He also served as Program Director for the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) in London, leading and increasing its work in its foreign policy-centred program area. 

What are some of the key factors contributing to the rise of antisemitism in France? How is the dynamic between the Jewish and Muslim communities in Toulouse, and what efforts have been made to address and bridge these divides? Why are Jews leaving France and does that have an impact on the Jewish community and the broader society?

In today’s fifth episode of CEP’s Eye on Antisemitism series, Lucinda explores the resurgence of antisemitism in France with Deputy Mayor Nicole Yardeni from Toulouse. Nicole's previous position as President of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF), a national Jewish representative organisation, coincided with the horrific attack against Jewish schoolchildren and a Rabbi in 2012, conducted by Mohamed Merah. Together, they discuss how this event impacted Nicole personally and professionally, and how it shaped her approach to combatting antisemitism.

In today's fourth episode of CEP's Eye on Antisemitism series, Lucinda speaks with Fiyaz Mughal about antisemitism among native-born immigrant communities in the United Kingdom. They discuss Fiyaz's work in the field of preventing extremism and working towards racial equality and Fiyaz shares his expert insights into how to create meaningful connections between Muslim and Jewish communities.

Fiyaz is the founder of Faith Matters and Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks), focusing on social cohesion and work on anti-extremism projects.  Working on faith related issues in the two organisations has become a core theme, particularly in supporting integration, countering extremism and tackling hate crime work. Today, Fiyaz continues to be an active member of society, serving as an advocate and expert on community cohesion and anti-extremism projects with a particularly strong understanding of the Muslim community and a passion for Muslim and Jewish dialogue projects.

In today’s third episode of CEP’s Eye on Antisemitism series, Lucinda will delve into how antisemitism manifests among right-wing extremists in Germany with guest Marina Chernivsky. How does the growth of right-wing political movements in Germany influence the prevalence of antisemitic sentiments? Are there any connections between antisemitism and broader issues like nationalism, xenophobia, or Islamophobia? What kind of support or resources do mental health professionals need to effectively combat antisemitism?

Marina is the initiator and director of the Competence Center for Prevention and Empowerment, which is supported by the Central Welfare Board of Jews in Germany. She also founded and directs the Counselling Centre for Antisemitic Violence and Discrimination (OFEK), a Germany-based non-profit organisation and counselling centre specialised in antisemitic violence and discrimination.

In today's second episode of the Eye on Antisemitism, Lucinda delves into the complex issue of antisemitism among the left-wing extremists in the United Kingdom (UK), specifically looking at the UK political landscape. How has the Labour Party, which is historically associated with left-wing politics in the UK, addressed or failed to address the issue of left-wing antisemitism within its ranks? And how does it affect Jewish communities, both in terms of their safety and sense of belonging? What steps can be taken to effectively combat and counter left-wing antisemitism in the UK?

Lucinda speaks with Dave Rich who is a leading expert on left-wing antisemitism. He is currently the Head of Policy at the Community Security Trust, a UK-based charity that protects British Jews from antisemitism and related threats. Dave is also the author of the recently published book ‘Everyday Hate: How Antisemitism Is Built Into Our World – and How You Can Change It’,  in which he provides a wide examination of antisemitism among different social groups in the UK.